The field of the present invention is hand rakes, particularly skid or runner type ground support adapted to be attached to standard tined (or "lawn") rakes so to alleviate damage caused to the lawn and rake tines during the raking action while easing the raking effort.
A common problem in the raking of leaves and other materials using a lawn rake is that the tines of the rake grip more than just the material to be moved. This can severely damage both new and existing grass roots and scar a lawn. Additionally, the raking of leaves from a substrate of gravel or mulch using conventional lawn rakes often results in considerable relocation of the substrate -- thus drastically increasing the task of raking by requiring separation and spreading of the substrate once the raking is completed. Also, the tines of the rake itself are battered during the raking process which decreases the useful life of the rake. Moreover, the pulling required to move the tines of a lawn rake through a lawn is burdensome and tiring.
Through the years, various devices have been employed as runner attachments for cast iron toothed (or "garden") rakes. A search of skids or guards for all types of rakes produced the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 885,252 to Hughes PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 1,174,317 to Heimerl PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 1,536,742 to Anderson et al PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 2,137,608 to Flavin PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 2,790,297 to Gardner
These all involve using a variety of skids or wheels attached to the teeth, head, or handle of a garden rake to help prevent the teeth from ripping through the raking surface. Additionally, a lawn rake of unusual construction, U.S. Pat. No. 2,083,922 to Roessel, has been disclosed having modified tines which support the rake above the raking surface.
Although the foregoing devices may function reasonably well, each is deficient in a number of respects. Some of these devices are not readily and cleanly removable to permit standard raking action. Some of the devices add unnecessary weight, complexity, and cost to the rakes. Additionally, most of these devices support the rake at a fixed position above the raking surface and do not permit the user to exert pressure to achieve progressively increased amounts of raking action. Further, none of the devices provide an elongated skid surface for maximum glide across the lawn. Most importantly, none of the devices disclose a skid for attachment to the present standard form of spring steel, bamboo or plastic lawn rakes.
In light of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a skid for a lawn rake which supports the tines of the rake above the raking surface so both to protect the rake tines and the lawn or other substrate by positioning the rake tines to grip only the material being moved and not the substrate, and to decrease vastly the effort required to pull the rake.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a skid device for a lawn rake which is lightweight, installs easily and securely, and is quickly retracted and stored to permit standard raking action.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a skid device for a lawn rake which incorporates all the foregoing objects, is inexpensive to produce, and can be readily installed onto any standard lawn rake.